PRESS RELEASE
Aspen Police, Parks and Open Space launch e-bike enforcement, education campaign
Bicyclist and pedestrian safety central to enforcement efforts
Aspen, CO — The Aspen Police and the Aspen Parks and Open Space departments are joining forces to address the growing concerns about electric bike (e-bike) activity in town and on trails.
In response to the increasing number of e-bike violations, both departments are ramping up enforcement and public education efforts to enhance traffic safety and ensure compliance with local regulations.
The APD is initiating an e-bike enforcement operation focusing on high-violation areas, particularly in the downtown core. Officers will be deployed to these hot spots to monitor and address violations through education, warnings and in some instances, tickets. Concurrently, the city's Parks and Open Space rangers will focus on public education and enforcement on area trails, engaging with individuals violating the law and issuing citations.
“There is a growing concern about e-bike speeds and disregard for traffic laws,” said Aspen Police Chief Kim Ferber. “Our goal is traffic safety in the community, with a focus on bicyclists and pedestrians who are our most vulnerable users.”
To reduce the chances of a crash involving pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as bicycle-on-bicycle collisions, the public is urged to adhere to proper signage around town, both on streets and trails.
As students return to school this month, bicycle and pedestrian safety in the community is a top priority.
“We ask parents to be thoughtful when considering giving their teenagers access to a bicycle that has as much power as a motor vehicle,” Ferber added.
Parks rangers, equipped with radar guns, will be monitoring trail speeds and issuing warnings and tickets for code violations.
“We have received an increasing number of comments from citizens about the excessive speeds of bicycles on our trails, which are concerning from a safety perspective,” said Matt Kuhn, director of Aspen Parks and Open Space. “Our staff has also been monitoring speeds and found that posted speed limits are regularly being exceeded.”
The city’s municipal code requires trail users to travel at safe speeds and abide by posted speed limits. With 10 and 15 mph zones recently established in high-use trail corridors, an outreach campaign has been launched to educate trail users on speed limits, safety, and courtesy.
“While our initial push is to strive for compliance through education, we have unfortunately seen some trail users acting very unsafely or using motorized vehicles that exceed the 750-watt limit,” Kuhn explained. “We intend to use a range of enforcement tools to curtail this behavior, including issuing citations.”
Fines for violations can be as high as $400, depending on the offense's severity and frequency. It is unlawful to ride bicycles, skateboards and motorized vehicles on sidewalks, malls, and certain streets in the commercial core. Violators can face fines starting at $100, with subsequent offenses resulting in $200 and $400 fines.
Failing to yield at an intersection on a bicycle is a violation of the model traffic code and carries a $15 fine. Cyclists must slow down and, if necessary for safety, stop before entering an intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, cyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks and any vehicles in or approaching the intersection.
To enhance safety, cyclists are asked to slow down in high-traffic areas such as Marolt Bridge, Cemetery Lane crossing, and Bugsy Barnard Park. Using a bell when passing others is also recommended, and the parks department offers free bells throughout the summer.
E-bikes are prohibited on single-track trails in Aspen and nearly all surrounding lands.
For more information, go here.
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For more information, please contact:
Bill Linn, Aspen Assistant Police Chief
(970) 429-1803
Bill.linn@aspen.gov
Matt Kuhn, Director, Parks and Open Space
(970) 429-2035
Matt.kuhn@aspen.gov